Little T&A
Encyclopedia
"Little T&A" is the fourth song on rock and roll
band The Rolling Stones
' 1981 album Tattoo You
. The song is sung by guitarist Keith Richards
.
Credited to usual Stones scribes Mick Jagger
and Richards, "Little T&A" was largely a Richards composition. He originally began writing the song in the early months of 1979 with the intention of having the song featured on 1980's Emotional Rescue
. Left off that album it re-emerged for Tattoo You two years later. The band began reworking the track in mid-1981.
The song is a straight forward rocker, although Richards claims to have been influenced by rockabilly
in his guitar performance. The song opens with a trademark riff from Richards, who performs bass and electric guitars along with Ronnie Wood. Ian Stewart
performs piano for the song and Jagger provides backing vocals along with Richards and Wood. Charlie Watts
performs drums.
The lyrics of "Little T&A" were described by Richards at the time as being about, "...every good time I've had with somebody I'd met for a night or two and never seen again. And also about the shit that sometimes goes down when you just sort of bump into people unknowingly, and not knowing the scene you're walking in on, you know? You pick up a chick and end up spending the night in the tank, you know?" The lyrics see Richards bemoan that lifestyle:
The song has a distinctive ending featuring a breakdown of song's riff and beat. While the title of the song is never sung, a frequently repeated chorus: "She's my little rock & roll/Her tits and ass with soul, baby" is featured throughout.
Performed throughout American Tour 1981
, Richards reinstated it to the band's setlist during the 2006 leg of the Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour
, when it was played frequently. A live performance captured for the documentary Shine a Light
was included on the soundtrack of the same name. As evident on many bootleg recordings, the song was played frequently on Richards' 1988 and 1992 tours with the X-Pensive Winos in support of Talk is Cheap
and Main Offender
records.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' 1981 album Tattoo You
Tattoo You
Tattoo You is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1981. The follow-up to Emotional Rescue, it proved to be a big critical and commercial success...
. The song is sung by guitarist Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
.
Credited to usual Stones scribes Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Richards, "Little T&A" was largely a Richards composition. He originally began writing the song in the early months of 1979 with the intention of having the song featured on 1980's Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue
Emotional Rescue is the 15th British and 17th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1980. Upon release, the album topped the charts in both the US and UK.-History:...
. Left off that album it re-emerged for Tattoo You two years later. The band began reworking the track in mid-1981.
The song is a straight forward rocker, although Richards claims to have been influenced by rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
in his guitar performance. The song opens with a trademark riff from Richards, who performs bass and electric guitars along with Ronnie Wood. Ian Stewart
Ian Stewart (musician)
Ian Andrew Robert Stewart was a Scottish keyboardist, co-founder of The Rolling Stones and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...
performs piano for the song and Jagger provides backing vocals along with Richards and Wood. Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
performs drums.
The lyrics of "Little T&A" were described by Richards at the time as being about, "...every good time I've had with somebody I'd met for a night or two and never seen again. And also about the shit that sometimes goes down when you just sort of bump into people unknowingly, and not knowing the scene you're walking in on, you know? You pick up a chick and end up spending the night in the tank, you know?" The lyrics see Richards bemoan that lifestyle:
The song has a distinctive ending featuring a breakdown of song's riff and beat. While the title of the song is never sung, a frequently repeated chorus: "She's my little rock & roll/Her tits and ass with soul, baby" is featured throughout.
Performed throughout American Tour 1981
Rolling Stones American Tour 1981
The Rolling Stones' American Tour 1981 was a concert tour of stadiums and arenas in the United States to promote the album Tattoo You. It was the largest grossing tour of 1981 with $50 million in ticket sales...
, Richards reinstated it to the band's setlist during the 2006 leg of the Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour
A Bigger Bang Tour was a worldwide concert tour by The Rolling Stones which took place between August 2005 and August 2007, in support of their album A Bigger Bang...
, when it was played frequently. A live performance captured for the documentary Shine a Light
Shine a Light (film)
Shine a Light is a 2008 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese documenting The Rolling Stones' 2006 Beacon Theatre performance on their A Bigger Bang Tour. The Scorsese film also includes archive footage from the band's career and marked the first utilisation by Scorsese of digital...
was included on the soundtrack of the same name. As evident on many bootleg recordings, the song was played frequently on Richards' 1988 and 1992 tours with the X-Pensive Winos in support of Talk is Cheap
Talk Is Cheap
Talk Is Cheap is the solo album debut by Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, released in 1988. Recorded and released following a brief creative and personal fallout with Mick Jagger, Talk Is Cheap received glowing reviews upon its release....
and Main Offender
Main Offender
Main Offender is the second studio album by Keith Richards and the last to date. Released in 1992 in between The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge projects, Main Offender remains to date Richards' most recent offering as a solo artist.Regrouping with his group of musician friends known...
records.
Personnel
- Keith Richards: lead vocals, electric guitar, handclaps
- Mick Jagger: harmony vocals, handclaps
- Ron Wood: harmony vocals, electric guitar, handclaps
- Bill Wyman: bass, handclaps
- Charlie Watts: drums, handclaps